Saturday, May 7, 2011

This beautiful and easy spring dish has the most light and decant texture. I love the consistency the salmon takes when cooked softly and slowly while delicately wrapped in grape leaves and simmering in white wine. The sweet brightness of the roasted figs pairs nicely with the spinach, big white Italian beans and salmon. I've made this a few times after trying a similar dish at Baker and Banker in San Francisco. This dish, with some oven fresh home made bread or popovers with dill butter is a dish I think you will enjoy.

If you can find grape leaves, the texture and flavor of the leaves can be irresistible and is the perfect product to wrap the salmon in. If you can't find grape leaves, or don't live close to Champagne vineyards where you can sneak in and pick a few leaves then a few large chard leaves will work. Buy wild raised salmon fillets if you can find them. Also, try cutting a tiny wedge of lemon and place it onto of the salmon before wrapping it in the leaves to poach. A white wine from Bourgogne or a Chardonnay would be a good match.

A fast and easy spring dish that is beautiful, full of flavor + color, healthy and rich in texture!

Makes 4 Servings

4 Filets of Wild salmon Filets

Pinch of Sea Salt

12 Organic Figs

4 Handfulls of spinach leaves

8 large Grape Leaves (or 4 large pieces of Chard)

1 Lemon finely sliced

2 cups White Wine (Bourgogne if you can find it)

Gently wash and dry the salmon well. Season both sides well with salt and pepper. Top the salmon with a thin slice of lemon.

Boil the grape leaves or Kale leaves quickly for 3 minutes just to soften.

Discard the water and wrap the salmon with the leaves, securing with toothpicks to create a nice little package

In the same large skillet boil the water with the wine. Once the mixture reaches a soft boil add the carefully wrapped salmon fillets and simmer for 8-12 minutes, flipping carefully half way through

Wash the figs and spinach. Steam the spinach for a few minutes until softly cooked. Heat the white italian beans in a stove top pan with a bit of the wine. Throw in a few thinly sliced shallots if you'd like or add in a dash of sweet vermouth while cooking.

Cook the figs in a pan over moderately high heat for a few minutes. Make sure they don't loose to ouch of their texture but just start to release a bit of their juices.

Check the salmon for doneness .Unwrap each filet. Discard the grape leaves. Turn the heat up to high and let the juices in the pan cook down a bit, creating a nice rich sauce. Add a tablespoon or two of creme fraiche if desired or a few tablespoons of butter.

Plate salmon resting on a small handful of spinach, a few figs next to the fish and some big white italian beans. Top with the sauce and a few sprinkles of fleur de sell and a grind or two of pepper

About Me

Sydney a SF born ex-pat currently living in France for the past 4 yrs and this is my creative pallet; scrumptious tid bits of food + culture to inspire a splendid + well-lived little life, I help people go on private Champagne producer trips enabling you to meet sm. producers, skip the large corp tours, visit local farms + hang with the locals! Email: tastysidetolifetours@gmail.com